Walking the Kingdom (Open)

[Zuka]

September 2nd


It wasn’t often that she got the chance to just stroll around town, Zuka tried but her work and obligations to the Dolls usually kept her busy with little to no free time. She was always locked away up in her office dealing with fiancés of the club, managing her Triad and the people that worked for her or some other thing and that left very little time for any kind of relaxation. Of course, that didn’t mean she didn’t play, Zuka would live it up like the rest of them but she always did that at night when most of the businesses in her area were closed so it was nice to actually get the chance to walk around and make her presence known.

Usually, people would shrink away and take their children inside whenever a Triad boss crossed their path, or, they would trip over themselves to make sure the boss had anything they needed in the way of free ‘gifts’ or what have you. She knew that those people that were in Triple Threat or Agni Kai territory did the Threats and the Kais liked to exploit the people living in their area but Zuka didn’t. Sure, some people would still avoid her path and mothers would occasionally pull their children out of her line of sight but most people were friendly and engaging. Zuka liked knowing that the people in her area didn’t fear her…at least not like they did the others. They all knew who she was and they knew that she and her girls were capable but they also knew what they did for them. So, she guessed that they did fear her but in a good way? It was hard to explain but it was the truth and it let her justify her choices. She knew her father wouldn’t be happy with the path she had chosen but at least this way she was making people feel safe…sorta?

Whatever, it worked for her and made her feel better about it all.

Zuka walked along the streets of the Golden District, nodding her head at shopkeepers that greeted her as she passed, a few of them that her girls had done ‘favors’ for rushing out of their shops to offer her things in thanks. One woman in particular – Teja - stood out and would not take no for a answer. The elderly woman owned a bakery in the area and she had been having trouble with the Agni Kais. It seemed her son had owed them a lot of money and they had already taken care of him when he couldn’t pay up. It was tragic but it was the price you paid when dealing with the Kais, and after the son was gone they started harassing his mother for the money he had owed. The poor woman couldn’t pay that debt, she wouldn’t have even been able to afford it before all of the interest the Kai’s added once their money had left their hands and they had started to terrorize her.

Naturally, word had reached her pretty quickly and as soon as the Agni Kais had stepped foot in her area her girls were watching. When the Kais enforcers tried to make a move on the old woman the Dolls quickly stepped in and chased them out and did so each and every time they tried again. Eventually the Kais had gotten the message that this woman was off limits to them and Zuka had her girls put a sticker of the dolls logo in the shop window, letting everyone else know that the place was protected. It wasn’t long after that the same had happened to another shop keeper and then another and soon nearly every business on the street had the tiny doll sticker somewhere on their building.

The old woman had thanked them profusely; tearfully telling the girls all about her son’s debt and how much trouble she had been facing since his death and ever since then each time Zuka would pass by the woman would run out and offer her baskets of fresh baked goods. Zuka tried to pay for them at first but the woman insisted that they were on the house, it being the least she could do since the Dolls had not asked for anything in return for their protection. The old woman was sweet and whenever Zuka had the time and was out walking she would make a trip to the bakery to check on Teja and chat a little, always leaving with handfuls of goodies.

Today was no different and as she made her way down the street where Teja’s bakery was she went inside and spent nearly a hour talking with the old woman and catching up. After their talk Zuka left the shop with a basket full of sweets and breads, picking up a small cake and snacking on it as she walked.

Knowing full well that this was too much for herself and that even with the other girls help they would still have plenty left over Zuka continued her usual routine and walked toward a square where a bunch of street kids were known to hang out. She would give them part of Teja’s baked goods and chat with them. Zuka liked the kids, they weren’t dumb street kids never were and they knew who she was and what she did and many of the kids would act as informants for the Dolls. It was one thing she had learned back in Ba Sing Se, that those kids on the street knew everything that went on in the city. Once they had their fill and had told her all their intell Zuka would throw them a couple yuans each and be on her way.

They had had nothing too interesting to repot this time, things had been pretty quiet the past few weeks but that was never good. It usually meant that the others were gearing up for something big and it meant that she had to be ready for whatever it was. But, let her worry about that when it came to it. Zuka had a nice rose colored outlook going on right now and she wanted to keep it up. Things had been going great for her, the gambling and betting business was booming and the Blue Dragon was raking in the cash every night, her little slice of turf was turning out to be one of the most profitable and it made her a tad bit prideful.

Wanting to keep up her good mood Zuka decided to head toward the park, maybe sit by one of the ponds a while and feed some turtleducks and just enjoy the nice weather while it lasted. She could feel the cold air every now and then come down from the mountains and it wouldn’t be long before the mild temperature gave way into the bitter winters Republic City was known for so better enjoy it while she could. Having her destination made up she started heading in its direction, picking up a paper along the way from a newsie and reading as she walked. Naturally she turned to the sports section first, looking over the spreads of the most recent matches and making mental notes to pay a visit to one of the Probending managers for a little ‘chat’. One of his star players had gotten hooked on Black Fin and it was starting to become a problem with his performance and it was losing her money and she couldn’t have that.

Zuka was busy reading and not paying attention to those in front of her…..usually people moved out of her way but not this time and she collided with something hard and dropped the basket that Teja had given her. Watch it! She scolded as she dropped the paper from her face and looked at the person that had been in her way.

[Neva]

It was a beautiful day, and for Neva it was one of partial rest. She had spent her entire morning working at her usual Water Tribe shop downtown. Business had been steady, and Neva found herself constantly speaking with customers and helping them make decisions. Never having the chance to get off her feet, she moved to and fro around the store, offering advice where she could and extending helping hands to their very small staff. By the time the last wave of customers had flooded out of the store Neva was ready to collapse. She found a seat behind the counter for about five minutes before, to her surprise, the shop owners announced they were going to close early.

Neva assumed either she hadn’t gotten the memo or the owners had made enough business that they could afford to take the rest of the day off. They were older, so long and busy days took their toll, and Neva understood that. Secretly she was excited to have the rest of the day to herself, but she stayed to help clean up the store and take care of anything that needed to be done. The extra tasks didn’t take much time, and they were easier for her to accomplish than the owners. When everything was finished she made her exit, after thanking them like she always did, and headed home. As she neared her place the girl frowned slightly, unlocking the door and heading inside. Having free time was a great relief, but Neva didn’t really know exactly how to have a day where she wasn’t working. Almost always her time was divided between jobs and practicing her bending, with little free time to spare.

Looking to her small desk in the corner, Neva spied opened letters and blank paper, set out for her to begin writing replies. However, the letters had come to her a week ago and she had yet to start answering. Mostly she was putting it off because she didn’t know how to reply to her sister; there was still a lot of tension and Neva didn’t know how to get around it. With her parents the replies were usually the same; her life didn’t change very much. They seemed to assume that, but just wanted to know that she was taking care of herself. Sometimes she thought they wanted her to find something out about her brother but…that was another thing that Neva avoided at all costs.

Almost hopelessly, she looked around the room as if something there would help her decide what to do. While she could easily call in another shift somewhere and continue working, it felt right to take advantage of her break. No part of her wanted to sit inside on a nice day and stress over saying the right words either. She figured that she could try exploring the streets like she used to do; she hadn’t seen all that much of Republic City since she took her jobs. Changing out of her work clothes and into a more fitting outfit, Neva headed back out into the city to take in the sights.

It had been a long time since she’d been to less familiar sections of the city. With that in mind, Neva headed in a different direction, eventually finding herself in the midst of the Golden Phoenix District. Years ago she had been to this area a few times, so she vaguely remembered the shops and the overall appearance of the buildings. There was something different about this district though. As she walked around Neva tried to put her finger on just what it was, eventually only coming up with one solution: it was quiet. Since it was the afternoon Neva expected to see some Triad members running around, but around here they seemed to be nonexistent.

Not that Neva was complaining; it was nice to have a relative peace on a day like this. She wandered around the shops for a while, knowing that she only had a certain amount of money to spend and certainly not on a whim. For her shopping was mostly browsing; wishing but not purchasing. But Neva was fine with that, since she wasn’t one to strongly desire material items. As she looked around the shops the girl made polite conversation with anyone who spoke to her, then started to make her way out of the shopping portion of the district. She was certain that there was more to see, and it was best to explore while the sun was up and bright.

She found herself halting in her tracks as someone suddenly rushed in front of her; Neva realized that it was a teenage boy who walked over a younger girl who had a similar appearance; they were siblings for sure. The boy began to scold his sister for running off, and the two began a petty argument that was resolved in a matter of moments, the girl then clinging to her brother’s hand. The exchange caused a small smile, if not a bittersweet one, to slide onto Neva’s face. She’d known those days once before; it was hard to accept that they were over now.

Staying where she was, Neva looked around for a street sign to tell her where she was headed. As she stood she could hear approaching footsteps, but it didn’t occur to her that they weren’t going around her until it was too late. Someone hit her from behind, causing Neva to stumble forwards. She caught her balance quickly, momentarily stuck in surprise before she regained her senses as a voice yelled, “Watch it!”

Turning around, Neva looked to the person that had collided with her. It was a girl who looked to be about her age, and she didn’t look very happy either. Neva wasn’t about to pick a fight over it; she probably shouldn’t have been standing in the middle of the street anyway. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

She glanced down, almost to avoid eye contact, when she saw the basket on the ground. Oh, great. Neva cringed slightly at the sight of the fallen bread and crouched to the ground, picking up what had fallen out of it. Her plan of going out hadn’t included ruining someone’s baked goods. Neva rose to her feet with the basket and held it out to the girl, with an apologetic look on her face. “How much do I owe you for these?”

[Zuka]

Zuka looked at the things she had dropped and then to the girl that had run into her (or she had run into..either way) and back again once more as the girl knelt down to start picking the baked goods that had fallen out to put back into the basket. "It's alright" Zuka sighed, realizing that she had come off as very rude and kneeled down to help her. She really couldn't be mad, she was the one that was reading a paper while she was walking and not paying attention so it was just as much her fault.

Once everything was back in the basket both women stood while the other held out the basket to Zuka which she took and looped it through her arm. It was then that she got a good look at the other woman. She looked young, probably no older than herself if not a little younger and she had a innocence about her, it was easy to see when all you were used to was the dangerous people you kept as company. Judging by her clothes she was Water Tribe...maybe even fresh off the boat and there abouts.

When the question of how much was owed came up Zuka held up her hand and shook her head "no need...it was just as much my fault, after all. She bent down to pick up the paper that had fallen out of her hands when they collided and folded it up and stuck it under her arm once she had it. " I should have been paying attention instead of reading on a busy sidewalk." Even if she was a Triad leader she wasnt rude...at least, not most of the time and only to those that deserved it and so far, this girl didnt.

[Neva]

She’d waited to be scolded for her actions, since it had happened a couple times already on the streets, but instead received an apology in return. That was a nice surprise, and Neva relaxed a little as the girl took back the basket. She idly brushed her hands over her clothes, giving the girl a half smile, “Well it must have been interesting if you couldn’t stop to read it.”

She’d never seen the woman before, though from the glances people around them seemed to be giving her she was well recognized. It made Neva feel like she was missing an important piece of information, especially as they whispered to one another before turning back to their own business. It was strange, the only time people really acted that way in the city was when…

Oh.

The girl was Triad.

Probably high up in ranks considering all the glances, and if she was the leader well...Neva wasn’t sure if she was to count herself lucky or fresh out of luck. The girl didn’t seem like she was about to threaten her or anything, which Neva found out of character for Triad members. Then again, she’d dealt with the nastier Triads mostly, and didn’t often wander into other territory. Since the people weren’t cowering, it seemed okay for her to not have to decide between fight or flight.

Neva glanced around at the people and back to the girl in front of her. “Do people always stare or…?”

[Zuka]

“Well it must have been interesting if you couldn’t stop to read it.”

Zuka shrugged. Interesting was a matter of opinion but it was necessary as it helped her keep tabs on things with their probending teams as well as the other nations teams. ”Just catching up on the sports page.” She said finally, letting that girl decide it that was interesting enough or not. She noticed the girls eyes wander to the people around them and Zuka followed suit to see what was so interesting.

“Do people always stare or…?”

She looked at the people around them and how they were acting and she sighed, it could never be easy could it? ”Hard not to when there’s two beautiful girls on the sidewalk.” Zuka countered with a polite smile before looking back to Neva. She was used to deflecting questions about her work, if the girl did not know who she was then there was no point in making that known, let her think what she wished…that she was a athlete or a mover star, singer, or traid…it didn’t matter.

[Neva]

Neva laughed lightly, though kindly. Triad or not, the girl didn’t seem to be bad news. It was quite a different encounter than she was used to, but Neva liked this change of pace. To be honest, Neva wasn’t very caught up with the familiar faces that the movers portrayed. If the other girl had any other famous connection, then Neva figured the people would be flocking her instead of just watching the two interact with one another. Nonetheless, it was nice to have an encounter that didn’t end up in a fight, and Neva replied, “I think that was an indirect compliment, so thank you.”

Absently she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “My name is Neva by the way. Hope I didn't ruin any of your plans for the day."

[Zuka]

Her smile became more genuine and she nodded her head back at the girl at her thanks. It was nice to talk to someone that wasn't trying to trip over themselves to impress her or please her, most people here did that and while it was expected given her chosen line of work it could be exhausting. Zuka had had enough at that back home in the Fire Nation and it had even gotten on her nerves then. The power was nice, dont get her wrong but it had a time and a place.

When the girl introduced herself Zuka nodded again "nice to meet you Neva, I'm Zuka." At the question about if her plans were ruined or not she shook her head slightly "not ruined at all, just out for a walk and on my way to the park for a while before I have to return to work." Zuka looked at the girl once more and it was becoming more obvious that she was not from these parts...at least not from this district. Something about her made her seem like she was ready for a fight, she was tense and that was something you usually saw in some of the other Triad run areas..namely the more aggressive Triad run areas. "You're not from around here, are you?" The indirect question about who she was and just everything else made Zuka curious.

[Neva]

Good, she hadn’t caused quite as much of a problem as she had originally thought. Neva couldn’t help but shift the responsibility onto her shoulders. Growing up she had always been the one that explained a situation and shielded the other kids from getting blamed or questioned. She knew actions came with consequences, which was why she tried to make the right choices and stay out of trouble. Easier said than done, though so far she’d been doing relatively well for living in a city covered in crime.

Zuka’s question was not completely surprising; Neva had expected that she looked out of place. Everyone here was so laid back, so relaxed, and not to mention they didn’t stop every few steps to figure out where they were or where they were heading. Perhaps it wasn’t her best idea to explore on her own. Now she understood why on her first visit her father wouldn’t let her go off without someone. But Neva was a grown woman and perfectly capable of looking out for herself in this city.

At least she thought so.

Neva shook her head, “It must be obvious. I’ve been in the city a while, but I live downtown. I haven't really gone to many other areas in a long time.”

She looked around the district and then back to Zuka. “I guess I’m not used to it being so quiet.”

[Zuka]

Zuka listened to the girl explain and when she mentioned that she lived downtown a brow went up slightly. "That's a...interesting area" interested sounded better than dangerous as she didn't want to sound like she was talking down to the girl considering they had just met and she didn't want to assume that Neva couldn't handle herself. Obviously she could, you had to be able to to live in this town, especially downtown..unless she had been incredibly lucky to avoid the Triple Threats or any of the other seedier happenings that went on in that part of town, well, any part of this city but downtown for sure.

...Maybe she was a Jade Girl? Glancing at Neva once more Zuka decided that wasn't it, the girl didn't seem the type and those girls had a certain air about them. Zuka should know, she dealt with them enough when men would bring them in as arm candy to the club...she even had her fair share of the girls on her payroll and Neva did not give off that vibe.

"It's nice isn't it?" She asked in reply to the girls comment about it being quiet that might have been a small pat on her own back but hey, she deserved it she felt. "you can walk down the street without worrying about someone trying to hustle you out of your wallet, or worse. You must see a lot of that downtown. I hear the Triads are much more....direct" Of course she knew this already but it would be interesting to hear it come from someone that wasn't part of their life, someone who experienced it first hand.

[Neva]

“It’s very eventful,” Neva agreed in response to Zuka’s comment. Downtown wasn’t her first choice of lodging, but since she’d come alone and didn’t have much money (or guidance for that matter) Neva had been left with little options. While it was an active area for Triad activity, she’d learned how to avoid as much as possible, and how to handle when she found herself caught in the crossfire. Shelter was shelter, and though at first Neva had wanted to find somewhere else to live, she now was determined to prove that the Triads couldn’t run her out of the city. Perhaps she was just being stubborn, and foolish, but Neva refused to back down.

With a small smile Neva nodded, “Much different than I’m used to. It's relaxing.” She really liked the area, and it seemed that Zuka did too; she almost seemed proud of it.

“You must see a lot of that downtown. I hear the Triads are much more....direct."

At that Neva involuntarily narrowed her eyes; a reaction to thinking about the way the Triads conducted their business, and terror if she was asked her opinion. “That’s one way of putting it. Stealing and assaulting the weak and defenseless is a daily occurrence. They don’t really pity anyone.”

She shook her head slightly, resisting a sigh. “Some people try to stand up to them, but it’s hard when you’re a one person army.”

[Zuka]

It was nice to hear what someone from one of the rougher areas of town thought about her little slice of heaven, it gave her a sense of pride since she and her girls had worked hard to dig out their little niche here. Zuka had known from the start that she didn’t want to exploit like the others did, she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. Sure, it was one thing when she had to send a message to someone or had to collect a debt or thereabouts but at least she never made people fearful if it wasn’t deserved. Most of the other triads looked down on her or thought her a push over because of it but Zuka didn’t mind demonstrating that she was still a force to be reckoned with. Made things more fun.

“That’s one way of putting it. Stealing and assaulting the weak and defenseless is a daily occurrence. They don’t really pity anyone. Some people try to stand up to them, but it’s hard when you’re a one person army.”

This girl was passionate about this, you could hear it in her voice and that could be dangerous….then again, that could be useful.

’What about you? Do you clash regularly with the Triads?” Zuka asked, trying to get a better feel of things first. Maybe she could use this girl, maybe she could even gain a new member of the Dolls. It was a lot of maybes but hey, she wasn’t in a hurry right now so she could probe away all she wanted.

[Neva]

Maybe it wasn’t the smartest idea to share her opinions on the Triads. Neva didn’t know how all of their connections worked and who talked to whom. After this she could find herself cornered and ambushed in the streets, and the Triads that she’d seen weren’t very keen on mercy. Fending off a member or two was one thing, fighting a whole group of benders who had a reason to want to pick her apart was a whole different, and far more dangerous, playing field. Neva didn’t like the outcome that she had in her head for that situation.

But Zuka didn’t seem like she was going to use her opinion against her. If this was her territory, and that was highly probable, then Zuka wasn’t the type of person that was going to send a bunch of vicious Triad members after her in the middle of the night. No, that didn’t sound like where this conversation was going. One could never be too careful though; she’d learned that lesson.

“Not enough to put my name on a hit list.” Neva replied. That was the best way she could think to describe how she dealt with them. “If I’m around and I feel like I can step in, I do. I’m not going to let them get away with their actions if I can stop it.”



She then added, “Like I said, not much that one person can do. But it’s hard to stay quiet when everything is so wrong.”

[Zuka]

She liked this girl, liked her fire. Neva sounded like she wasn’t afraid to step up and do something and thou, arguably that could get her killed in Vipers area but here? There was use for that here. ”What do you do for a living Neva?” Zuka asked, readjusting the basket around her arm and switching it to the other. Teja had filled it to the brim and it was starting to get a bit heavy on her one arm.

Neva struck her as the hard working girl, she looked like someone that didn’t get things handed to her or didn’t allow them to be. She probably had more than her fair share of run ins with her kind but, maybe Zuka could offer something better.

[Neva]

It felt like basic get-to-know-someone information, and nothing extremely important. Neva had answered this question multiple times before, and although the answer had differed in certain instances she practically had the response memorized like a speech now. “I work as a server and in one of the Water Tribe shops downtown. Then occasionally I pick up a shift at the Full Moon Bar by the docks.”

Simple answers, simple life; Neva didn’t think much of it other than that was what needed to be done for her to live. She’d seen how the wealthy lived, and they all had various stories and backgrounds that led them to having money and luxury. But that had never been a main priority of hers, and she still didn’t desire material wealth. Perhaps it was her upbringing or maybe her personality. Either way, Neva couldn’t imagine just having anything she wanted in the palm of her hand; she believed everything had to be worked for, and be gained fairly.

“They aren’t high paying but they get me what I need.” Plus, being welcomed down at Yue Bay gave her the chance to work on her bending. That was an opportunity she could not pass up at all.

[Zuka]

When she got her answer Zuka found herself digging into her pocket and pulled out a small business card. The card was made of a sturdy paper in a deep sapphire blue color, written across the card was the name with slightly raised lettering of 'The Blue Dragon' in a pearly gold ink with a small design under the title and the address on the back in the same gold ink. With the card in hand Zuka shifted her basket once more and held the card out to Nena. Maybe she was feeling generous today but she liked this girl and could use something like her..and even if she refused the other offer that would come some time later she could at least get the girl out of those dive bars.

"A club not far from here. Always looking for hardworking people..the clientele can be a little rowdy but nothing like what you find in those bars you're at." The Blue Dragon was the Dolls high end club and while they owned a number of smaller, rougher and rowdier bars in the area the Blue Dragon was Zukas crown jewel and she was very particular of what went on there. "It pays well to, worth the trip." She didn't want to come off as over bearing but at least she had put it out there and she would leave it to Neva what she wanted to do with the information she had been given. "You seem like you would be a good fit there."